Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transaction processing apparatus, a transaction processing method, a program and a transaction processing system which are used for carrying out procedures of a settlement process in a transaction.
Description of the Related Art
For example, when a settlement process using a card (for example, a credit card) is performed in a sale of a product, a transaction processing apparatus of the related art transmits sales information to a predetermined settlement destination apparatus relating to the settlement (for example, a settlement server apparatus operated in a settlement center), in a case where credit for a card holder is inquired about and a response indicating no problems in the credit is received. In a case where a line between the transaction processing apparatus and the settlement destination apparatus for the settlement is disconnected and a one-time sales amount is less than a predetermined amount, customer information and sales information are stored and accumulated in a random access memory (RAM) in the transaction processing apparatus as transaction information. Such accumulation of the transaction information is referred to as “tanking”. After the number of the tanked transaction information items for each number of sales reaches a certain value, the transaction processing apparatus collectively transmits the tanked transaction information items to the settlement destination apparatus. A transaction processing apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. H2-75097 has been proposed as the related art regarding such tanking.
However, when a line between the transaction processing apparatus and the settlement destination apparatus for the settlement is disconnected, it is difficult to perform settlement service online (hereinafter, referred to as “online settlement”). This does not only apply to the disconnection of the line. In a case where a line of a store including the transaction processing apparatus installed therein has a problem due to disconnection or short circuit, or a case where a network of the line is down, or also in a case where a settlement center apparatus itself which is a settlement destination apparatus for the settlement is down (that is, in a case where the use of the settlement center apparatus is stopped), it is difficult to perform the online settlement, in the same manner as described above.
Even in a case where it is difficult to perform the online settlement, the transaction processing apparatus can perform the settlement service offline (hereinafter, referred to as “offline settlement”). That is, when the sales amount is in a range not exceeding transaction amount conditions predetermined based on a member store contract between a store and an acquirer (or a settlement processor or issuer), the transaction processing apparatus can perform the offline settlement without performing communication with the settlement destination apparatus. As a result of the offline payment, the transaction processing apparatus can perform the tanking of the transaction information.
However, in order to perform a card transaction in the settlement using an IC credit card, the transaction processing apparatus collates a personal identification number (PIN) to be input using a PIN PAD included in the transaction processing apparatus or an attachment thereof, with card information to be read by a reading apparatus included in the transaction processing apparatus or an attachment thereof. When the collation of the PIN is performed in the transaction processing apparatus and the collation matches (is authenticated), the settlement can be performed with the IC credit card.
With respect to this, in a new settlement system in which information necessary for authentication of a card to be used in a settlement process is received and transmitted between a transaction terminal apparatus and a settlement destination apparatus, the authentication of an IC credit card is not performed by the transaction terminal apparatus of the related art, but by the settlement destination apparatus. For example, transaction processing apparatus in this system transmits card information to be read by a reading apparatus included in the transaction processing apparatus or an attachment thereof to the settlement destination apparatus, and transmits the PIN to be input using a PIN PAD included in the transaction processing apparatus or an attachment thereof to the settlement destination apparatus. The collation of the PIN of the IC credit card is not performed by the transaction terminal apparatus, but by the settlement destination apparatus. Accordingly, since it is difficult to perform offline settlement using the IC credit card, it is necessary for an operator to perform offline settlement by a magnetic credit card function using information recorded in a magnet stripe provided along with the IC credit card, in order to perform the card settlement in a state other than the online state.
Since the IC credit card includes the magnetic stripe, it is possible to perform the settlement by the magnetic credit card function. In this case, an operator may inquire about credit with an acquirer or a settlement processor (or an issuer) through a phone call, and when the credit is acquired, an operator may input an approval number acquired from the acquirer (or the issuer) into the transaction terminal apparatus and perform the offline settlement. Alternatively, an operator may perform the offline settlement, without acquiring such authentication information. In both cases, the transaction terminal apparatus performs tanking of transaction information regarding the offline settlement which is performed using the magnetic credit card function. When an operator inputs the approval number into the transaction terminal apparatus, the transaction terminal apparatus may perform the tanking of the approval number with the corresponding transaction information. For reference, the credit card settlement can be performed by filling or copying the approval number and the card number in a paper credit slip, without using the transaction terminal apparatus.
However, in the settlement performed using the magnetic credit card function, the offline settlement with the acquisition of the approval number through a phone call takes a long time and the procedure thereof is complicated. Accordingly, a customer's waiting time for the settlement also becomes longer. In order to avoid such a complicated procedure and a long waiting time, an operator can perform the offline settlement by the magnetic credit card function, without acquiring the approval number. However, since the authentication of the card is not acquired as the IC card, it is difficult to prevent an unauthorized card settlement transaction in advance. Thus, at least one of the acquirer and the store (acquirer, in many cases) suffers a loss based on the member store contract described above.
When the transaction processing apparatus used for the offline settlement is broken after the sales by the offline settlement, it is difficult for an operator who performs exchange of the transaction terminal apparatus to extract transaction information from the broken transaction processing apparatus, or an operator may forget to extract the transaction information. As a result, the transaction information tanked in the broken transaction processing apparatus may not be used, and a mismatch with the transaction information held by the settlement destination may occur. Thus, it is difficult to collect accounts receivable in the offline settlement, and therefore, the store may suffer a loss.
In the configuration of the transaction terminal apparatus described above, it is difficult to adequately ensure information security of various information items (that is to say, transaction information items regarding a settlement process offline) tanked in the apparatus.
Since the transaction information tanked in the transaction terminal apparatus is held in a second card storage medium, in a case where the transaction terminal apparatus is connected to an apparatus other than the transaction processing apparatus or if the second card storage medium is taken by a malicious third party, there is a risk that the transaction information itself is easily taken.